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If you’re hoping to escape from big city crime, look elsewhere. These places actually defy the stereotype of smaller cities being safer.

When you see small towns on TV and in movies, they’re almost always idyllic places where the American dream is thriving and neighbors all know each other. That, and unless you’re watching a whodunnit, no one’s ever the victim of a crime.

In reality, small cities are surprisingly similar to all the others, meaning that there are good ones and bad. While the Movoto Real Estate Blog has been writing lately about America’s safest places, we thought we’d switch gears today and look the small cities where crime is a real concern.

After studying more than 200 small cities, we’ve concluded that Wilmington, DE is the most dangerous in terms of crime. It’s joined in this dubious honor by nine other places to comprise our 10 most dangerous small cities in America:

UPPER MERION TOWNSHIP, PA— In the first week of August the Upper Merion Police Department announced six cars were stolen in July, making the total for the years to date 16, one less than this time in 2012.

Two of the vehicles were recovered, police said, but no arrests have been made.

Many stolen cars are taken out for joy rides are later recovered, but some are sold for parts or all over the globe to be sold.

“There is a more organized element to it, though not like an organized crime mafia like you may think of,” said Detective Robert Pilcicki of the Upper Merion Police Department and the Pennsylvania State Auto Theft Task Force.

A decade after vehicle thefts became an epidemic in Reading, police say the crime is on a pace to reach a 10-year low.

As of the end of July, 170 vehicles had been stolen in the city this year, compared to 246 at the same point last year, said Officer Keith Merkel, one of three city policemen assigned full time to a state police regional auto theft task force.

But Merkel isn’t ready to pop champagne corks. He noted August and September were the busiest months for vehicle thefts in the city last year.

While auto thefts have declined locally and nationally in recent years, car thefts actually spiked in Reading in 2012.

Editor’s note: I have been harping away on this subject for a very long time. This article is further evidence of the SERIOUS problem that is keeping Pottstown from moving forward! The current Chief of Police and Council President should hang their heads in shame. To think the Chief of Police makes $100,000 (taxpayer funded) and gets these flabbergasting results should make every resident of Pottstown furious!

“Within Pennsylvania, more than 98% of the communities have a lower crime rate than Pottstown.”

A recent Patch poll asked Pottstown residents what keeps Pottstown from success. With crime ranking among the top concerns, it is worth taking a closer look at just how bad crime is in Pottstown. The results are quite disturbing.

It is important to note that crime is split into two categories – property crime and violent crime. The measure of each is a number of crimes for every 1,000 residents. Property crime consists of burglary, theft, larceny, motor vehicle theft, and arson. Violent crime consists of murder, rape, non-negligent manslaughter, armed robbery, and aggravated assault, including assault with a deadly weapon.

According to NeighborhoodScout, a highly ranked real estate search website – “Pottstown has one of the highest crime rates in America compared to all communities of all sizes.”

St. Louis, MO replaces Camden, NJ as America’s most dangerous city in 2010 according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The ranking is based on murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, and motor vehicle theft.

Other cities in the top 25 include Detroit, MI (3), Oakland, CA (5), Compton, CA (8), New Orleans, LA (13), Washington, DC (22) and Atlanta, GA (25). No Pennsylvania cities were included in the top 25.